A raw diet for pets is quite a controversial subject.  Processed pet foods are processed with heat, making vitamins and nutrients less available compared to raw diets.  Raw diets are also generally free from additives and preservatives found in traditional pet foods.

However, raw diets cost more money per day and require more time and labor in order to prepare the meal.  There is also a risk of contamination with bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli with raw pet food diets.  A study conducted by Joffe found that 30 percent of dogs on raw food diets had salmonella in their stool.  "Dogs eating raw chicken will secrete salmonella into the environment," explains Joffe. "It can cause everything from mild flu-like problems to life-threatening illnesses."

The most popular version of the raw diet is called the BARF diet, short for Bones And Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.  BARF diets are composed mainly of raw meat and vegetables.  Most veterinarians are not happy about these diets because there is no guarantee that the pet is receiving a properly balanced and nutritionally complete meal, and there is also the problem of bacterial contamination.

The Canadian Veterinarian Medical Association doesn’t recommend feeding pets raw food, and neither does the American Veterinary Medial Association.

If pet owners are looking for an alternative to store bought pet food, the optimal word according to the CMVA is "cooked." Make sure to use recipes that call for cooked meats. A healthy recipe includes cooked meat, such as hamburger or chicken, with potato or rice and a mineral supplement.  Proper cooking practices, such as using a meat thermometer and handwashing, are also essential to ensure the safety of the meal.